Specimen tube device

ABSTRACT

OR DISASSEMBLED RELATIVE TO THE MAIN TUBE BY SLIDING. THE INFORMATION SUPPORT IS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT PUNCHED CARDS FOR IDENTIFYING EACH SPECIMEN TUBE.   A SPECIMEN TUBE PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR THE ANALYSIS OF BLOOD SAMPLES BY AN AUTOMATIC BLOOD ANALYZING MACHINE COMPRISES A MAIN TUBE, AN AUXILARY TUBE AND AN INFORMATION SUPPORT. A PAIR OF FLANGES ARE PROVIDED ON THE AUXILIARY TUBE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH GROOVES PROVIDED ON THE MAIN TUBE SO THAT THE AUXILIARY TUBE CAN BE ASSEMBLED

4 Sheets-Sheet l G. LARTIGUE ETAL sPEcIMEN TUBE DEVICE Aug. '15, 1972Filed March 25, 1970 GRARD LARTIGUE PIERRE DURAND 1, l K' J au@ iATTORNEYS Allg 15, 1972 G. LARTIGUE ETAL SPEC IMEN TUBE DEVICE 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1970 FIG. 6

FIG. 5

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nug. 15, 1912 G. LANGUE Em SPEC IMEN TUBE DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledMarch 23, 1970 FIG. 8

Aug. 15, 1972 G. LAR-neus ErAL SPECIMEN TUBE DEVI CE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed March 23, 1970 AUnited States Patent 01 Tice 3,684,453 PatentedAug. 15, 1972 3,684,453 SPECIMEN TUBE DEVICE Gerard Lartigue,Fontenay-aux-Roses, and Pierre Durand, Fresnes, France, assignors toElectronique Marcel Dassault, Paris, France Filed Mar. 23, 1970, Ser.No. 21,910

Claims priority, application France, Mar. 26, 1969,

Int. Cl. G01m 1/10 U.S. Cl. 23-253 R 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA specimen tube particularly useful for the analysis of blood samples byan automatic blood analyzing machine comprises a main tube, an auxiliarytube and an information support. A pair of anges are provided on theauxiliary tube for engagement with grooves provided on the main tube sothat the auxiliary tube can be assembled or disassembled relative to themain tube by sliding. The information support is adapted to supportpunched cards for identifying each specimen tube.

The present invention relates to a specimen or test tube device for usein chemical and biochemical analysis, in particular in the analysis ofblood.

It is desirable in certain cases to be able to positively identify aparticular specimen-tube amongst a large number of tubes of identicalappearance. This is in fact the case with tubes containing specimens ofblood before being analyzed, for example, to determine the blood type.

An object of the invention is to provide a specimentube device havingidentification means which virtually cannot be separated from the tubeand information carried by the identication means being easily recordedand read.

An aspect of the invention consists in a specimen or test tube devicecomprising a tube per se and integral with said tube a board or the likeadapted to receive an information support of the punched card type soarranged that the information support can be punched and/or brought intocooperation with a reader. Thus, all risk of error in associating a tubewith a punched card are avoided.

According to one embodiment, the board integral with the tube includesparallel rectilinear grooves adapted to receive the tip of a card punch.

The portions of the surface of the board between the grooves arepreferably used to secure the punched card.

According to an alternative embodiment, the information supportcomprises the board per se which is formed at the same time as the tubeby known techniques of plastics forming, the unitary construction of theinformation support with the tube making the subsequent separationphysically impossible.

The specimen or test tube device according to the invention ispreferably used in conjunction with a machine for automaticallyanalyzing the contents of a multiplicity of tubes, the tubes being fedinto the machine which permits the results of the analysis to berecorded by automatic means while providing complete assurance asregards the correct association of the results to the specimensanalyzed.

The invention also contemplates providing a specimentube device forcarrying out a multiplicity of analysis in a machine which automaticallydisplaces the tubes, said device comprising an auxiliary tube as well asthe main tube with means for assembling and disassembling the tubes.

In the description which follows which is made merely by way of examplereference will be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a tube device according to an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line II-II of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken along the line III- III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken along the line IV--IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an auxiliary tube;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section of the auxiliary tube taken along the lineVI-VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tube device providing an auxiliarytube as well as a main tube;

FIG. J9 is a fragmentary view of a punched card;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view in section of a reading device for punchedcards.

Reference will rst be made to FIGS. 1-4. The main tube device 10includes a tube body 11 (FIG. 1) having a protuberance 12 formed as a atat the back and along the upper part theerof which is delimited by arear planar face 12 (FIG. 3), two oblique lateral planar faces extendingvertically 14 and 15 and planar faces 16 and 17 joining the protuberance12 to the tube body 11.

Horizontal shoulders 19 and 20 depend from the tube body 11 at adistance from the lower front face 18. The shoulders 19 and 20 aresymmetrical relative to the plane 21 passing along the axis 22 of thetube body 11 and perpendicular to the face 13 of `the protuberance or at12. A space 45 extending between two horizontal faces 46 and 47 and avertical face 48 is disposed at the lower portion and to the rear of thetube device.

An auxiliary tube device 31 (FIGS. 5-7) includes a tube body 32 and twoflanges 34 and 35 depending from the open end of the tube body 32 alongthe upper front face 33. The prole of the flanges is delimited by thefaces 36, 37 and 38, 39 for mating with the external prole of the at 12delimited by the faces 14, 16 and 15, 17 respectively. The tube body 31forms the inner face 40 mating with the face 13 of said hat.

In order to assemble the auxiliary tube device on the main tube device,the auxiliary tube device is brought to the rear and slightly above themain tube device so that the lower portion of the grooves 41 and 42formed by the faces 36, 37 and 38, 39 respectively along the flanges 24and 25 engage the faces 14, 16 and 15, 17 which delimit the hat 12. Theauxiliary tube device is then slid relative to the main tube device in adirection parallel to the axis 22 until the lower front faces 43 and 44of the flanges 34 and 35 respectively abut against the shoulders 19 and20 which limit the sliding movement.

In this position the upper faces 23 and 33 of the main tube device andthe auxiliary tube device are in alignment.

The disassembly is carried out in reverse.

The ease of assembly and disassembly of the auxiliary tube relative tothe main tube enables the analysis of the auxiliary tube at severaloccasions during the course of analyzing of the contents of the maintube, for example by diluting the contents of the main tube.

Parallel grooves 72 extend along whole length of a board 71 on the frontface of the main tube device 10 with rectangular cutouts dened by faces73, 74 and 75. The board 71 is limited by an upper raised-edge 77 and alower raised-edge 78.

The outer face 76 of the board 71 is planar and adapted to support apunched card or the like to be fixed thereto by a layer of adhesivedisposed between the face 76 and the back of the card or by other means.

According to the present device, the grooves '72 have the spacing of thesuccessive rows of the punched card. The board 71 can thus be used as asupport for the punched card in the course of reading the punched holestherein so that it is not necessary to separate the punched card fromthe tube device in order to read the information provided by the punchedholes in the card.

The card can be formed of pasteboard or the like as is common practice.The card could, however, be formed of plastics material.

The card can be manufactured with the tube and the punching then takingplace afterwards.

The information support can be provided by a preformed card adapted tobe punched out, i.e., comprising perforated cutouts which can be punchedout by the tip of a punch in order to provide a card with the desiredpunched holes. Such a pre-formed card, applied on board 71 and fixedthereto can be punched without being separated from the board, the punchgoing into the grooves 72 which allow the escape of the punched piecesof cardboard or the like.

Further such a pre-formed card of pasteboard or the like can be used asa template for simultaneously preparing a multiplicity of pre-formedcards, i.e., having pre-perforated cutouts. These pre-formed cards arepiled one on top of one another and are topped by the punched card ofpasteboard or the like which is preferably of a different colour thanthe pre-formed cards. The punch is passed through the punched holes ofthe punched card thereby punching all the pre-formed cards thereunder.It is therefore certain that all of said cards Will have the samepunched holes. `A multiplicity of tubes or tube devices adapted tocontain the same liquid can be equipped with these identically punchedcards, for example blood samples from the same container of blood.

FIG. 9 is related to the formation of a punched card which may be of thetype with pre-formed cutouts for use in conjunction with thespecimen-tube device but is also adapted for other uses.

The punched card 50 comprises rows, as is customary along which punchedholes 52 can be provided. The card is read, as is known, for example bya star Wheel 53 with prongs S4 disposed at the end of the shaft 55 ofthe reader (FIG. 10).

As shown in FIG. 9, when two punched holes 521 and 522 are provided sideby side, the engagement of the prong S4 in the punched hole 521 isimmediately followed by the engagement of prong S42 in the punched hole522 when the card S0 is displaced in the direction indicated by thearrow f, without lifting of the shaft 55 by support of the star wheel 53on the upper face 56 of the card S0 between the two engagements. Thereresults a reading diiiiculty or ambiguity.

Accordingly, the punched card of the present invention includes two rows57 and 58 designed to overcome this diiculty. The row 57 includes a irstpunched hole 612 vertically aligned with the punched hole 522. The row58 includes a punched hole 621 vertically aligned with the punched hole521. The second punched hole 613 in the row 57 is in line wit-h thethird possible position indicated at 523 for the row 52 etc.

By reading the punched holes 61 and 62 with reading members analogous tothe ones used for the reading of rows 51 and comparing the reading ofthe rows 57 and 58 with that of rows 51, ambiguity resulting from thepresence of punched holes in successive positions along the same row isavoided, is a simple manner which does not require a modification in thereading apparatus.

We claim:

1. Specimen tube device which can be employed for purposes of chemicalor biochemical analysis, and particularly for blood analysis, comprisingan elongated tube open at its top and a board which is directed alongthe axis of said tube and integral therewith for receiving and providingbacking to a data punch card, said board having spaced apart grooves inits face, the spacing of said grooves corresponding to the spacing ofsuccessive rows of punched openings on a data punch card, the portion ofthe board between and around said grooves providing means for supportingand maintaining the data punch card, so that the data punch card may -bemachine read and punched while the card is attached to the specimen tubedevice whereby a permanent record of information is formed on saidspecimen tube device.

2. Specimen tube device according to claim 1 wherein the grooves arerectilinear, parallel grooves.

3. Specimen tube device which can be employed for purposes of chemicalor biochemical analysis, and part'icularly for blood analysis,comprising an elongated tube open at its top and a board which isdirected along the axis of said tube and integral therewith forreceiving and providing backing to a data punch card, said board havingspaced apart grooves in its face, the spacing of said groovescorresponding to the spacing of successive rows of punched openings on adata punch card, the portion of the board between and around saidgrooves providing means for supporting and maintaining the data punchcard, so that the data punch card may be machine read and punched whilethe card is attached to the specimen tube device whereby a permanentrecord of information is formed on said specimen tube device, a secondelongated tube open at its top, slide means on the portion of the saidiirst tube opposite that bearing the board, and mating slide means onthe said second tube for the removable assembling of the said rst andsecond tubes.

4. Specimen tube device according to claim 3, in which the slide meanson the trst tube consist of ribs and the slide means on the second tubeconsist of anges of a shape corresponding to said ribs, and furthermorecomprising stop means carried by said xfirst tube for limiting thesliding of the tIange means on the rib means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,350,946 ll/ 1967 Isreeli 23-253UX 3,497,320 2/19-70 Blackburn 23-253 X 3,532,470 10/19'70 Rochte23--292 X MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner R. SERWIN, Assistant ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R.

